Vietnamese cuisine is one of Asia’s most fantastic foods, and there are several places in Hanoi where you can learn to cook like a local without it costing a fortune
If you are a fan of Vietnamese food you should definitely take a cooking class while you are in Hanoi. It is hard not to fall in love with the spring rolls. I have had them from breakfast on more than one occasion. Learning how to take a little bit of Vietnam back home with you is a great way to impress your friends and appease your stomach.
Cooking classes seem to be offered all over the Old Quarter these days. For the most part you can expect to pay between $20-$40 USD for a half day cooking class. My boyfriend and I went to Hanoi for the Christmas holidays and I was interested in taking a cooking class while we were there. I kept an eye out for some of the hotels and restaurants in the old quarter and there seemed to be quite a few classes on offer. I ended up taking a class at Old Hanoi. It was a set menu and we got to eat everything that we made. I never thought I would be too full for Vietnamese food but it happened. You definitely don’t need to eat breakfast before class. You eat what you’ve made after every course. Spring rolls for breakfast!! We made the following dishes:
- Crab and Pork Spring Rolls (fried)
- Cha Ca Hanoi (famous Hanoi tumeric grilled fish with dill)
- Imperial Rice with Shrimp
- Sweet Potato and Ginger Pudding (more like a jelly)
The food was great and Snow (the teacher) was very friendly and helpful. She spoke very good English and was able to answer tricky questions about what substitutions could be made back home when making these dishes. Everyone got their own cooking station and the restaurant is basically turned into a make-shift kitchen complete with cutting boards, knives, and you own burner for cooking.
I will be honest, I wanted to take a class at Hidden Hanoi but they didn’t offer classes during the days I was there. They are now offering classes on every day except Sundays and the first person to book the class gets to choose the menu for the day. There are 5 menus, including a vegetarian option, to choose from. While many of the other cooking classes have a set menu Hidden Hanoi has a bit more variety and a purpose-built kitchen. Classes run daily from 11-2 and run you $35 USD per person. They also do language classes and walking tours if you’ve got the time.
It was a great experience and I would definitely recommend taking a cooking class if you are in Hanoi. If you haven’t been there you will find out the food in Hanoi is among some of the best in the world.
Old Hanoi
www.hanoi-cooking.com
Tel: +84 (0)4 824 5251
Hidden Hanoi
info@hiddenhanoi.com.vn
Mob Tel: (84) 091 225 4045
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